Eating Disorders
Uploaded by ashchap on Nov 24, 2002
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is a serious eating disorder in which the sufferer binges and then vomits, often repeatedly, in order to lose or control weight. People suffering from bulimia are often slightly overweight and they often eat large quantities of food before making themselves sick. Treatment looks at the whole lifestyle of the person. People suffering from Bulimia need special support from doctors, psychiatrists and dieticians. Princess Diana suffered from Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is a disruption in normal eating habits characterised by an all-consuming fear of becoming "fat." It typically starts in teenage women as a normal attempt to diet but gradually leads to more and more weight loss, often more than 25 percent of original body weight. There is an intense obsession with food and body size, which may involve compulsive exercising. As this happens, many normal activities may stop. Menstruation ceases in women and there are a number of physical symptoms of malnutrition such as lowered heart rate, low blood pressure, decreased metabolic rate and feelings of coldness.
People with anorexia nervosa are obsessed with food and deny that they have a problem or that they are too thin. They may be able to work or study and have some social life but usually function far below their potential. Frequently they are also depressed. Some people with extreme cases of anorexia starve themselves to death. Others check the downward spiral of weight loss and maintain a steady but seriously underweight condition. In all cases, even massive weight losses don’t stop the sufferer feeling "fat."
Obesity
If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. The tricky part of the equation is that some people metabolise food differently from others. Why this happens is complex and not entirely clear to researchers, who continue to be surprised by each new finding. For example, one recent study concluded that heavy people actually burn calories faster than underweight people because their metabolism speeds up as they put on pounds, and slows if they try to take them off.
You are considered obese if you have A body-fat percentage greater than 30 percent for women and 25 percent for men or if you weigh 20 percent more than your ideal body weight. Your ideal weight is based on your gender, age and typical activity level (whether you tend to be inactive or active).
Coeliacs Disease
The human body's immune system is designed...